President Donald Trump addressed his decision to pardon and commute sentences of approximately 1,500 defendants linked to the January 6 Capitol incident in 2021, including those convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers.
As one of his initial presidential actions, he commuted 14 prisoners’ sentences and pardoned all others convicted of offences related to the 2021 riot, by signing an executive order. He also instructed the attorney general to dismiss all pending indictments connected to this extensive federal investigation.
“They’ve served years in jail,” Trump said in response to questions from reporters at the White House about why he pardoned violent offenders. “They should not have served, and they’ve served years in jail. And murderers don’t even go to jail in this country.”
“We pardoned people that were treated unbelievably poorly,” he added.
The pardons encompassed individuals convicted of violent attacks against police officers during the January 6, 2021 Capitol incident, when Congress was certifying Joe Biden‘s electoral victory. These pardons extended to people who possessed weapons such as stun guns, batons and hatchets.
Regarding the Oath Keepers, a far-right organisation, the President described their sentences as “ridiculous and excessive” and stated, “these were people that actually love our country, so we thought a pardon would be appropriate.” Several Oath Keepers faced seditious conspiracy convictions related to January 6.
The President also addressed various policy matters, including potential Russian sanctions, proposed tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, and immigration policies. He discussed implementing 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada from February 1, citing concerns about illegal border crossings and narcotics trafficking.
Meanwhile, regarding the H-1B visa programme, he expressed a balanced view, acknowledging both perspectives on skilled worker immigration. He also discussed TikTok’s future in the US, suggesting openness to potential acquisition by prominent tech figures like Elon Musk or Larry Ellison.